At www.fueleconomy.gov you can compare cars side-by-side to see how they stack up. Not only does the site give estimated city and highway mileage but it also tells the estimated cost to drive 25 miles, the amount of fuel used in 25 miles, the estimated number of miles you can drive on a full tank, and the annual fuel costs. It also gives estimated annual gasoline consumption (how many barrels of gasoline a car will use a year) and estimated tons of CO2 emitted (the carbon footprint). One of my favorite features on the website is the ability to enter in the gas price in your area and a specific car and get customized fuel costs for a year and for the length of time you plan to own the car.

You can search by specific brands and models as well as by miles per gallon, which is convenient if you're only interested in cars that get a specific mileage or higher. You can access the site on your mobile device at www.fueleconomy.gov/m if you want to compare mileage while you're in a showroom.

Keep in mind that by buying a fuel efficient car you're also helping reduce the auto emissions released into the air every year.

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